The Air Force on Tuesday will announce plans to base a squadron of F-35s in Vermont, largely ending years of debate on the basing of the next-generation fighter in the state. (File)

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The Air Force on Tuesday will announce plans to base a squadron of F-35s in Vermont, largely ending years of debate on the basing of the next-generation fighter in the state.

The F-35A squadron will be based at Burlington Air National Guard Station, despite opposition from local activist groups and national political advocates. The announcement is expected at 1 p.m., Senate sources confirmed to Air Force Times.

The Air Force said last summer that the Burlington base is its preferred location, and had released an environmental impact statement in September that said the safety of the aircraft would increase over time and noise in local neighborhoods would increase.

Last month, Burlington city officials purchased an insurance policy to protect the city from lawsuits stemming from airport issues.

In October, the Air Force also announced nine candidate bases for F-35A squadrons in the Pacific, outside of the continental United States.